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Why Scott Snyder is Writing Superman

Was it DC's idea or Scott's to write the Man of Steel?

Not too long ago there was a discussion about writers, characters and sales. Is it the characters that sell books or the writers working on them? It's obviously a little of both but just because a popular character like Batman has several titles or may guest in others, doesn't automatically mean it'll be a top seller. Looking at the data, you can see that not all Batman titles sell the same.

Putting Scott Snyder and Jim Lee on a book, you know it's going to sell.

If it is a matter of top writers being able to generate interest and sales, why would DC put its top writer, Scott Snyder, on a Superman title? Snyder addressed this on Twitter:

BTW - someone asked me the other day if DC pushed me toward SUPERMAN b/c he's A-list, as opposed to letting me do a mid-tier book and try to build it. Answer is simple though, when Dan D. asked me what I had a story in mind for in addition to Batman, the answer was Superman. Had a story I've wanted to do for a long time, my big Superman tale, and so given the chance, I jumped. DC wasn't trying to put me on A-list characters.

For all I know they'd prefer me to boost a mid-tier - don't know! I just had an idea for Superman I've been dying to do - and when that chance opened, had to take it. But when time opens, maybe my next idea will be for a mid-tier character. Who knows?

But you have to follow your stories, if you get the chance. I'd be happy to take a mid-tier character again (loving working on Swampy, for example - just as important to me as Bats and Supes), and would happily do more mid-tier characters, but only if that's where my best stories are. I follow the story I'm most excited about. What kind of writer would I be if I sat around thinking about which properties I could boost for DC? Which mid-tier books I could maximize... No way. If my favorite story is for an A-lister, and I get the chance - I'm there. If my best story is for a mid-tier and I have the chance , I'm there. Right now, my best licensed character stories are for Swampy, Superman and Batman :)

Sounds great. "Follow the story." Scott is in a position where he is able to do that. But it's great to see that he is allowed to tell the stories he wants rather than have the powers that be try to force him on some random book in order to create sales for that.

We'll have to wait until next summer to see more about what this story exactly is.